Published: Monday, August 5, 2013 at 2:04 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 5, 2013 at 2:04 p.m.

It's a good week for fine dining fans, with two promising openings on the horizon, but my condolences if you're into Central American fare and Spanish-language karaoke.

Canapé

Wilmington culinary nomad Matthew Gould is ready to plant some roots with the forthcoming opening of Canapé in the former Big Thai location at 1004 N. Fourth St. Developing a reputation as a tireless explorer of cuisines both foreign and familiar since launching his pop-up restaurant two years ago, Gould has most recently been a fixture in the kitchen of San Juan Café for his one-off dining experiences.

The new restaurant, which will carry the Canapé name, is the product of Gould and entrepreneur Ronald Rene, a long-serving Army colonel approaching retirement, who will own the venture. Plans began formulating about a week ago, and thanks to significant repairs and updates already completed in the building, the two are aiming for an early fall launch.

In addition to a traditional three-course prix fixe, expect to be wowed by the area's only regular chef's tasting menu, a meal built around eight to 10 plates served sequentially.

“It has a flow or feel to it,” Gould explained, “When you start with the first course, the second matches to it. They all kind of fall in line like dominoes and tell a story.”

Gould is excited to call Wilmington's north side home, an area he sees as holding untapped potential. And he said his style of food, which has earned critical accolades, will be a good fit with that community.

“The name of the area is the Brooklyn Arts District, and I think that speaks to some of the cuisine I'll be doing there,” he said. “The food's definitely going to be modern.”

He's set some lofty culinary goals for the fledgling operation and isn't shy about sharing those ambitions, which he believes are within reach.

“What I see for the restaurant in 2013 is a James Beard award, that's one of our main goals. The idea is to really put Wilmington on the map as a culinary destination,” Gould stated, adding with a laugh, “100-hour work weeks are probably going to be mandatory in the beginning.”

For more information, go to CanapeILM.com.

Perkeo

For fine dining fans who are finding downtown less lustrous since the loss of destination institutions such as Caffé Phoenix, good news is on the horizon with a restaurant named Perkeo slated to open in the former Deluxe space at 114 Market St. in early September.

Like previous occupants Deluxe, which maintained a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for much of its 17 year-run, owners Malissa Mashburn and Lynn Adkins will bring a wine-forward experience to the menu. They're shooting for roughly 200 bottles of unique, unknown and otherwise notable labels from around the globe. Mashburn stressed that Perkeo will be a welcoming environment to the wine expert and novice alike, with flights and parings emphasized to help diners refine their personal palates.

Duties will be divided, with Adkins running the kitchen as executive chef and Mashburn, a certified sommelier, handling the 80-seat front of the house. Neither comes from a culinary background, but both are bringing a serious foodie passion to the new endeavor.

“Our mission with this place is to make people happy,” Adkins said.

When asked to speculate on the ideal dream meal from their forthcoming menu, neither hesitated very long before nominating Adkin's braised, char-broiled pork belly with a caramel sauce served in a lettuce wrap and married to a soft pinot noir. A spin on shrimp and grits with a respectable rosé was a close second. Their tastes are informed by significant travel and entertaining at dinner parties, and those sensibilities will end up on the plate, Mashburn said.

“No food or wine is going to be served that we don't personally enjoy.”

El Sombrero Azul

This Latin American eatery, most notable for its respectable take on the Salvadoran staple pupusas, has vacated the space at 127 S. College Road in the same complex that houses New Hanover County's government offices.

An exact time frame for the restaurant's departure was unclear, but one employee in the county's finance office, the agency El Sombrero Azul rented the space from, indicated it had been several weeks since the unit was last occupied. No suitors were known to be considering the location for a future restaurant, the employee added.

The restaurant opened in 2007 and garnered positive marks for diverse offerings that strayed “from the usual taco-and-burrito combo with homey Central American fare” according to a StarNews dining review written at the time.

Since opening, El Sombrero Azul, a space that teetered between restaurant and raucous nightclub, served as the home to one of Wilmington's more vibrant Spanish-language karaoke scenes. Online reviews suggest that seating had been reduced in recent months to make more room for the club atmosphere.

Contact Paul Stephen at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on Twitter @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' Facebook page.

<p>It's a good week for fine dining fans, with two promising openings on the horizon, but my condolences if you're into Central American fare and Spanish-language karaoke.</p><p><h3>Canapé</h3></p><p>Wilmington culinary nomad Matthew Gould is ready to plant some roots with the forthcoming opening of Canapé in the former Big Thai location at 1004 N. Fourth St. Developing a reputation as a tireless explorer of cuisines both foreign and familiar since launching his pop-up restaurant two years ago, Gould has most recently been a fixture in the kitchen of San Juan Café for his one-off dining experiences.</p><p>The new restaurant, which will carry the Canapé name, is the product of Gould and entrepreneur Ronald Rene, a long-serving Army colonel approaching retirement, who will own the venture. Plans began formulating about a week ago, and thanks to significant repairs and updates already completed in the building, the two are aiming for an early fall launch.</p><p>In addition to a traditional three-course prix fixe, expect to be wowed by the area's only regular chef's tasting menu, a meal built around eight to 10 plates served sequentially. </p><p>“It has a flow or feel to it,” Gould explained, “When you start with the first course, the second matches to it. They all kind of fall in line like dominoes and tell a story.”</p><p>Gould is excited to call Wilmington's north side home, an area he sees as holding untapped potential. And he said his style of food, which has earned critical accolades, will be a good fit with that community. </p><p>“The name of the area is the Brooklyn Arts District, and I think that speaks to some of the cuisine I'll be doing there,” he said. “The food's definitely going to be modern.”</p><p>He's set some lofty culinary goals for the fledgling operation and isn't shy about sharing those ambitions, which he believes are within reach.</p><p>“What I see for the restaurant in 2013 is a James Beard award, that's one of our main goals. The idea is to really put Wilmington on the map as a culinary destination,” Gould stated, adding with a laugh, “100-hour work weeks are probably going to be mandatory in the beginning.”</p><p>For more information, go to CanapeILM.com.</p><p><h3>Perkeo</h3></p><p>For fine dining fans who are finding downtown less lustrous since the loss of destination institutions such as Caffé Phoenix, good news is on the horizon with a restaurant named Perkeo slated to open in the former Deluxe space at 114 Market St. in early September.</p><p>Like previous occupants Deluxe, which maintained a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for much of its 17 year-run, owners Malissa Mashburn and Lynn Adkins will bring a wine-forward experience to the menu. They're shooting for roughly 200 bottles of unique, unknown and otherwise notable labels from around the globe. Mashburn stressed that Perkeo will be a welcoming environment to the wine expert and novice alike, with flights and parings emphasized to help diners refine their personal palates.</p><p>Duties will be divided, with Adkins running the kitchen as executive chef and Mashburn, a certified sommelier, handling the 80-seat front of the house. Neither comes from a culinary background, but both are bringing a serious foodie passion to the new endeavor. </p><p>“Our mission with this place is to make people happy,” Adkins said.</p><p>When asked to speculate on the ideal dream meal from their forthcoming menu, neither hesitated very long before nominating Adkin's braised, char-broiled pork belly with a caramel sauce served in a lettuce wrap and married to a soft pinot noir. A spin on shrimp and grits with a respectable rosé was a close second. Their tastes are informed by significant travel and entertaining at dinner parties, and those sensibilities will end up on the plate, Mashburn said. </p><p>“No food or wine is going to be served that we don't personally enjoy.”</p><p><h3>El Sombrero Azul</h3></p><p>This Latin American eatery, most notable for its respectable take on the Salvadoran staple pupusas, has vacated the space at 127 S. College Road in the same complex that houses New Hanover County's government offices.</p><p>An exact time frame for the restaurant's departure was unclear, but one employee in the county's finance office, the agency El Sombrero Azul rented the space from, indicated it had been several weeks since the unit was last occupied. No suitors were known to be considering the location for a future restaurant, the employee added. </p><p>The restaurant opened in 2007 and garnered positive marks for diverse offerings that strayed “from the usual taco-and-burrito combo with homey Central American fare” according to a StarNews dining review written at the time.</p><p>Since opening, El Sombrero Azul, a space that teetered between restaurant and raucous nightclub, served as the home to one of Wilmington's more vibrant Spanish-language karaoke scenes. Online reviews suggest that seating had been reduced in recent months to make more room for the club atmosphere.</p><p><i>Contact <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9919"><b>Paul Stephen</b></a> at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a> @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> page.</i></p>